This morning saw at least four different missions underway over the central Mediterranean.
An Hellenic Air Force Embraer AEW&C (reg. 374 – callsign OURANOS11) took off from Elefsis Air Base and carried out an extended orbit along the southwestern edge of the Greek FIR. This type of mission is not unprecedented; they are typically conducted as part of Operation IRINI, which aims to enforce the arms embargo on Libya.
Meanwhile, a US Navy MQ-4C Triton drone (reg. 169659 – callsign BLACKCAT5) departed from NAS Sigonella and conducted a mission somewhere between the central and eastern Mediterranean. However, its ADS-B transponder was turned off, making it impossible to determine its exact area of operation.
Similarly, a US Navy Boeing P-8A Poseidon, which took off from Souda Bay Air Base, appeared to head east but switched off its transponder, rendering it untrackable.
A second USNavy Poseidon also departed Souda Bay Air Base at approximately 11:30 CET, heading east as well. Further details about its mission remain unclear.
The skies over the Mediterranean continue to be a hotspot for strategic operations, with much of the activity shrouded in operational secrecy.
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